1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present general inventive concept relate to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image processing method of reading a scan image of an object, and more particularly, an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image processing method which detects a boundary of an object when reading a scan image of the object.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing apparatus reads an image from an object and processes the read image. These operations can be achieved by, for example, a scanner.
In the image processing apparatus, an object is seated on a transparent and flat plate, and a scan image of the object is read by a scanning unit that moves under the flat plate. The image processing apparatus is connected to a host, such as a computer or the like, and transmits the read scan image to the host.
Since the scanning unit projects a light beam upon an object to read the scan image of the object, the image processing apparatus includes a cover to cover the transparent and flat plate and the object and prevent a light beam from coming through.
However, while scanning an object, there may be cases in which the object is so thick, such as a thick book, that it is difficult to cover the object with the cover, or the cover is being opened for a user's convenience, such as while scanning many pages of a book. In this case, the image processing apparatus is affected by external incident light, and therefore an image scanned by the scanning unit contains an image area corresponding to the object and a non-image area due to the external incident light.
A conventional image processing apparatus determines and processes the non-image area of the scan image as part of the image area, resulting in the scan image being processed with distortion of a real boundary of the object. Accordingly, if such a non-image area is removed from the scan image, the real boundary may be obtained without distortion, thereby deriving a proper image area of the object from an initial scan image.